Gov. John Carney was the first bettor to make a wager under Delaware’s new single-game sports betting laws.
Delaware collected $322,135 in bets on the first day of legal single-game sports betting in the state. The $322K spent was the combined turnover for all three Delaware casino-racetracks: Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, and Delaware Park.
By launching sportsbooks on Tuesday, Delaware became the first new state to offer full sports betting since the US Supreme Court struck down the PASPA federal ban.
Vernon Kirk, director of the Delaware State Lottery, said the sportsbooks offered a full list of betting options.
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimated that Delaware could generate $350 million to $760 million of sports bets within the first calendar year of sportsbook wagering. Betting spikes on game days of big sporting events, along with the NFL regular season, Super Bowl week, and March Madness.
Single-Game Sports Betting
Delaware has offered a multiple-game type of sports betting called a “sports lottery” since 2009. Sports lotteries are a kind of parlay bet which requires a bettor to place a bet on 3 or more games at a time. Because it is harder to win such bets, sports lotteries are less popular than single-game sports bets.
Under the previous system, Delaware sports betting generated $48 million on NFL parlay wagers in 2017.
Vernon Kirk on Delaware Sportsbooks
Vernon Kirk said that unfettered Delaware sports gambling should driving tourists to Delaware, because they can cross the state border and make a wager at one of the three land-based racetrack-casinos.
The director of the Delaware lottery said the combination of beaches and bets should help the state’s sports betting operations throughout the summer.
Mr. Kirk told ESPN Chalk on Tuesday, “For us, it’s really an enhancement of our tourism industry. It will attract a lot of visitors to our state, particularly at this time of year, during the summer, coming to our beautiful beaches south of here. They come here and stop at the casinos and do slot machine and table gaming. This will be another opportunity for them.”
Gov. John Carney Wins $10 MLB Bet
In the spirit of things, Delaware Gov. John Carney was the first Delaware resident to make a wager under Delaware’s new system. Gov. Carney wagered $10 on the Philadelphia Phillies to beat the Chicago Cubs in Tuesday’s game. John Carney appears to have a hand at betting, because the 32-26 Phillies beat the 33-24 Cubs by a 6-1 margin.
$322,135 in Turnover
Readers should not that Delaware’s turnover of $322,135 is not what the sportsbooks won. Turnover or “action” is the amount wagered on games. Sportsbooks tend to make 4% to 10% of the turnover in juice (vig) and winnings, though they are not assured of a win any given day.
Sportsbooks have one of the lowest returns of any form of wagering in the casino. The reason sports betting is so pivotal to Delaware’s gaming industry is the sheer popularity of sports bets. Many people enjoy slot machines, but many others find them to be deadly-dull. Casino goers enjoy blackjack, baccarat, craps, and roulette, but such games are not played by most American children growing up. The same can be said of poker, though many Americans play cards around the kitchen table as a kid.
Can Sports Bettors Beat the House?
Betting on sports is another matter. Most Americans play football, baseball, or basketball at some point in their childhoods. Many of those who do not at least watch the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, or NCAA sports on the television. Those who do are more likely to think they know who is going to win or lose, so a significant number want to put their sports know-how to the test.
Even Americans who prefer video games, online games, and smartphone gaming apps can bet on eSports now. While eSports betting for the time being is restricted to Nevada, most US states which legalize sportsbooks are going to legalize eSports betting, too.
